For Vocations to Marist Life

 

Prayer for Vocations: St. Marcellin Champagnat

Lord, we pray you, send labourers
Into your field for the enemy ravages the harvest.
Raise up men and woman who will tend and garner it,
Among the youth confided to our care,
Show us those of your choice,
That knowing them,
We may form them to labour for you.
O Mary, our Mother,
You are the superior and guardian
Of this Institute. You have gathered us
Under your banner to promote the glory of your Divine Son,
Notwithstanding the opposition of the world.
If you do not come to our aid we shall fail,
And like a lamp without oil, become extinguished.
But if this work should perish,
It is not our work that fails, but yours,
For you have done everything for us.
We therefore trust in your powerful protection
And we shall trust in it always. Amen.

God, you call each of us by name
And with great love and compassion.
We thank you for the grace of living our vocation
With love and fidelity.
Bless each of us as we daily respond
To your graciousness in our lives.
We celebrate and thank you for the rich diversity
Our vocation brings to the world.
Inspire many of our younger people today
To live lives of generosity, love, service and commitment.
We make this prayer, through Jesus –
The Way, Truth and Life. Amen.

Strengthen us to be courageous in sharing the gift of our Marist call
In these times of uncertainty and change.
In Marcellin’s spirit of total trust in You
We pray that our Vocation Team,
Will be a sign of new beginnings and hope for the future.
Through this initiative may we inspire young men and women
To follow in the footsteps of Marcellin Champagnat
As Marist Brothers and Lay Marists
In meeting the needs of our society
And making Jesus and Mary known and loved.
We ask you to bless our Brothers in their brotherhood
And Lay Marists in their vocational call.
We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Touch the hearts and minds of young people today
To desire a life of great intimacy with you.
Bless vocations to religious life
And especially to the life of Marist Brotherhood.
May we find ways to encourage and enlighten young men
To be the Champagnats in this new millennium.
Gift each of us with zeal and generosity in our lives of brotherhood.
We make this prayer with the confidence on Mary, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Father, you call all who believe in you
To grow perfect in love
By following in the footsteps of Christ, your Son.
May those whom you have chosen to serve you as religious
Provide, by their way of life, a convincing sign of your Kingdom
To the church and to the world.
Look with favour, Lord,
On this family of Marist Brothers.
May it increase in numbers,
Lead its members to perfect love,
And work for the salvation of all peoples.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Father, you call all who believe in you
to grow perfect in love
By following in the footsteps of Christ, your Son.
bay those whom you have chosen to serve you as Champagnat Marists
(Brothers and Lay)
Provide, by their way of life, a convincing sign of your Kingdom
To the church and to the world.
Look with favour, Lord,
On this family of Champagnat Marists.
May it increase in numbers,
Lead its members to perfect love,
And work for the salvation of all peoples.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Father, life is your gift.
You invite us to share our gift of life
In the service of others.
Be with us as we choose each day
To show your presence to the world.
Give us the courage to respond to your love and to your call
In the spirit of Marcellin Champagnat.
Open the hearts of many others
That they may accept your challenge
To build your Kingdom today.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Lord, you raised up Marcellin Champagnat
to promote the service
of the poor through education,
and to confirm your people in the way of truth.
May his example lead us
to renewed faith and zeal.
Help us to live so that, by your grace,
the quality of our lives may attract others
to join us in Marcellin’s venture:
as brothers, as family men and women,
young and old, single and married,
as Marists together.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

O Mary, our Mother,
you are the superior and guardian of this Institute.
You have gathered us under your banner
to promote the glory of your Divine Son,
notwithstanding the opposition of the world.
If you do not come to our aid we shall fail,
and like a lamp without oil, become extinguished.
But if this work should perish,
it is not our work that fails, but yours,
for you have done everything for us.
We therefore trust in your powerful protection
and we shall trust in it always.  Amen.

Creating God, touch the hearts and minds
of young people today
to desire a life of great intimacy with you.
Bless your church with vocations of real commitment in religious life,
in the single state,
in married love and family life and priesthood.
May we find ways to encourage
and enlighten young men and women
to be the Champagnats of a new generation.
Gift each of us with zeal and generosity     
in our lives as Marists.
We make this prayer with the confidence
of Mary, in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

O God our Father, from whom every good gift comes to us,
hear our prayer.
Through the merits of Jesus Christ,
by the intercession of our Blessed Mother,
St Joseph, Sts Peter Chanel
and Marcellin Champagnat
and all our Marist pioneers and saints,
we ask you to guide our Marist family,
to strengthen it, to guard it from error
and to bless all its branches
with an increase of vocations.
Keep it always in peace, simplicity
and fervour of spirit.
Through you, O Mary,
may the name of the Saviour
be known, loved and honoured
throughout the world.  Amen.

Lord, we thank you for the gift of our Marist charism.
We pray for all who enter into formation in Marcellin’s charism. 
May we be led by the Holy Spirit
and helped through formation experiences,
to commit to God in living out
the mission of the charism.
Help us all to accept our responsibility
to give birth to Marcellin’s charism
in our different cultures
throughout the Oceania Region. 
We ask this through Christ, our Lord.  Amen.

Father, look with love
on our Marist Institute and its needs.
May we bring to others, through our ministry, the same healing and fulfilment
that we have received from you  in joy and gratitude. 
Through the intercession of Marcellin Champagnat,
may our faith and zeal inspire others to follow Christ as Marist Brothers.
This we ask through Christ, our Lord. Amen.          

God, our Creator, help all our young people
to know their vocation in life,
and assist them to prepare for it.
For your greater glory and for the well-being of your people,
call many to be minsters of your love, justice and peace.
Give to them grace to respond generously
And persevere faithfully in caring for
this world and its people.
Help us all to recognise the presence
of your widom in the youth of today
and to encourage them in their response to you.  Amen.

Spirit of God, alive in our world today,
challenge us by the realities we see around us;
injustice, poverty, marginalisation.
Help us to discover afresh
Marcellin’s heart within us;
a fire and spirit of fidelity
and integrity we have inherited
that enables us to respond
to today’s Montagnes.
May we see with Champagnat’s eyes for today,
and, because they have a right
to be preferred by us,
help us make a more determined choice
for the poor as we further the Reign of God made real in Jesus.
May those we live and work among
be inspired to respond to God’s call in their lives
because of the clarity of our witness and response.
We pray this in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Creator God, today we pray
that our commitment to Jesus Christ e passionate,
giving us meaning and direction as Marists.
Help us do our part in creating a community
that is a centre of shared faith,
a brotherhood of love,
a clear and visible sign of integrity, justice and peace.
As we strive to live out the dreams
of personal and community goals,
may young people feel the vitality and welcome that will inspire them to a life
based on the gospel values of Jesus
and his mission to marginalised young people.
With Mary of Pentecost,
who is with us as first disciple,
we make this prayer through Christ, our Lord.  Amen.

For Marist Teachers

Father, you chose Marcellin Champagnat
To give your people Christian education.
Give to your Church teachers who will devote themselves
To helping your people grow as Christians.
Help us, the family you founded through Marcellin Champagnat,
To be faithful and zealous ministers of your Word.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

 For the Marist Family

Father, look with love
On our Marist Family, and its needs.
May we bring others, through our ministry,
The same healing and fulfilment
That we have received from you in joy and gratitude.
Through the intercession of Marcellin Champagnat,
May our faith and zeal inspire others
To follow Christ as Marist Brothers.
This we ask through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Father, look with love
On All Champagnat Marists, and their needs.
May we bring others, through our ministries,
The same healing and fulfilment
That we have received from you in joy and gratitude.
Through the intercession of Marcellin Champagnat,
May our faith and zeal inspire others
To follow Christ as Champagnat Marists.
This we ask through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

For Youth

God, our Creator,
Help all our young people
To know their vocation in life,
And assist them to prepare for it.
For your greater glory, and for the well-being of your people. Amen.